Sponsored By

Sponsored By

ABC Sisters, Saline Big Band Turn Ann Arbor Street in to Memory Lane

Memory Lane would have been a good name for South Ann Arbor Street Thursday evening.

The ABC Sisters and Saline Big Band performed songs from the early 20th Century in front of a big crowd in Downtown Saline. Since rain chased the Summer Music Series indoors last week, Thursday's concert was the first outdoor show of the year.

The ABC Sisters performed during the first half of the show. Ayla, Bailey and Carly are the three sisters who comprise the Andrew Sisters tribute act. Their boogie-woogie dance moves delighted the audience. Their harmonies, at times, were almost indistinguishable from the Andrew Sisters act to which they pay tribute. The sisters also took breaks from the Andrew Sisters act to perform solo pieces.

Around 7 p.m. the ABC Sisters finished to warm applause. The crowd then turned their lawn chairs north around to watch the Saline Big Band. The 17-piece band, formed in 1973, is now under the direction of Leer Sobie as well as founder Dave Wolter. The band tore it up with an assortment of up-tempo swing tunes, a couple slower waltzes and even an early rock and roll song. A couple of the Saline Big Band's bugle boys and sax men delivered searing solos.

There were more than 200 people in attendance at the concert. Some watched and listened as they dined and drank in the sidewalk cafes outside Mac's Acadian Seafood Shack and Brecon Grille. Some sat along the the sidewalks, eating pizza or ice cream from the local restaurants. Kids danced and used chalk to draw pictures on the road.

The Saline Big Band played until about 9:20 p.m. After the concert the Saline Relay for Life held its Luminaria ceremony memorializing those who lost their battle with cancer.

Saline Main Street President Jill Durnen said construction will push next week's show to North Ann Arbor Street. Alan Turner and the Steel Horse Band, a country act, perform at 7 p.m. For more information visit www.SalineMainStreet.org.

Tran Longmoore is a veteran community journalist. He is founder and owner of TheSalinePost.com. He is co-publisher of The Saline Post weekly newspaper. Email him at [email protected] or call him at 734-272-6294.